User:Matty707/Slice (novel)

Slice :juicy moments from my impossible life is an humurous Australian novel written by Steven Herrick. Set in Queensland it is based on the life of 17-year-old Darcy Walkman, describing how he shouldn't say what he thinks out loud. Written for teenagers the novel goes through parents, parties, punch-ups, school and friends. Even though the book is humurous it does have emotional ups and downs of teenage life and includes many refrences to Shakespeare. This book was published in 2010 by Random House Australia.

Plot
The book begins with Darcy Franz Pele Walker describing his middle names were picked by his soccer fanatic father (refered to as football in the novel). Darcy goes on by describing himself, his strict Maths teacher Mr. Clegg, his semi-hippy parents, the crazy, alcahol filled parties he attends, his father's '5 things not to do' list, his love for meditator: Audrey Benitez and flasbacks of his past that he refers to in the rest of the book. All this with other historic, scientific and sexual refrences.He also talks about loving English with his teacher, Ms. Hopkins and having and odd friendahip with Noah Hennesy, a chess addict with no friends, except Darcy.

Meanwhile Audrey and Darcy get closer and Darcy becomes excitedly nervous though hides it. They talk about how unmanly Darcy is, from his cowardly encounter with bullies, Tim and braith, and in contrast how Audrey would fight for him if nessasary. Darcy also writes an emotional English essay about his desceased grandfather but doesn't include some personal facts.

Darcy continues more on school and schoolwork, including a poetry class and how his school, teachers and certain students are seen in his perspective. An upcoming excursion frightens Darcy, who knows some of his classmates aren't really co-operative and trustworthy. Despite his efforts to get a note of absence rom his parents, Darcy still has to go Kayaking for 6 hours down a river.Along the excursion's bus ride Noah dropped his perious chess pieces which led to Tim and Braith making crude jokes towards him. Darcy accidently has a slip of the tounge and insults Tim by refering to his personal problems which Tim hated people talking about. Angered, Tim bashes Darcy who is fourtunate that the staff pull Tim away, but they know of Tim's problem and let him off with a warning.

After arriving at their campsite the class have dinner and camp out for the night. Even though Darcy doesn't want to anger or insult Tim anymore Noah still throws a plastic snake at Tim for a laugh. Tim gets frightened but afterwards gives Darcy accusing looks. The next morning Noah wakes Darcy early to watch the sunrise and tells Darcy how his father had suddenly become paralyzed and in hospital, which Noah is incredibly emotional about and his promise to shave his father to help therefore repressing his own sadness. The rest of the class wake and get ready for the kayaking and to his slight dismay Darcy is forced to go with Noah aposed to Audrey. Already hating the prospect of kayaking Darcy is finding it hard to paddle with Noah, who isn't very good at it, and they end up capsizing with the class laughing at them. They then land on a beach and have lunch when Audrey asks Darcy over to her place to meditate.

They all start kayaking again as Darcy daydreams and talks with Noah. Later when they reach the finish Tim and Braith dive off a tall wall despite the teacher's warnings. After getting cleaned up Darcy jokingly mocks the kayak loaner before heading home with the class.

The night of Darcy's "date" with Audrey and Darcy is estatic but worried about a blackhead on his nose and gets shock when his father is finding it difficult to give the sex talk to Darcy which his wife ordered him to do so. Darcy claims he knows all about it and leaves to go to the chemist. As his father instructed Darcy buys a packet of condoms before running into Tim. Tim claims he was out to a kebab and Darcy decides to go with him, to stop off at home. He unexpectedly gets along with Tim before heading to his own mailbox to hide the condom packet and keep one in his wallet. Arriving at Audrey's, his thougts extremly nervous, Darcy discovers that she didn't really want to meditate but hang out.

During their date Audrey experiments with Darcy's way of saying what first comes to mind but she gets annoyed when he mentions sex. Suddenly, when Darcy talks about spirits, Audrey kisses him and she claims she did for him believing in spirits, and for fun. Afterwards they talk for hours before going for a walk and Audrey interrigates Darcy and he eventually claims he was buying condoms. Catching them kissing in an streetlight, Audrey's mum is sent away. Audrey and Darcy agree to go out with each other before going their seperate ways.

Main characters

 * Darcy Walker is a 17-year-old student whose life is filled with complicities and excitment. He is very knoledgeable and seems to remember things well. He has a wierd friendship with reject Noah but still respects him. Darcy has a deep love for classmate, Audrey. He enjoys relaxing and talking but unlike his father, is horrible at football. Darcy also likes English and the odd game of chess.


 * Noah Hennesy is chess loving outcast. His only real friend is Darcy but he doesn't complain. Noah is very smart and easy-going but frightened of girls. In the novel, Noah's father somehow become paralyzed. After taken home from the hostpital, shaven by Noah as a sign of love, he becomes better at moving his eyes and fingers. Noah still treats him the same and ingores his father's absence of speech.


 * Audrey Benitez is one of Darcy's classmates who gets close with him and becomes his girlfriend. Darcy discribes her as having messy, oil-black hair, dark-beige skin, brown, bright and expressive eyes. She is also quite helpful and understanding towards Darcy. She is smart but not largly knowledgeable.


 * Tom and Braith are rugby playing bullies which pick on Darcy from time to time. They are very phisically fit boys but aren't very smart. At heart Tom is simply troubled and the book explains the story of Tim's mum leaving his family without a reason. Darcy accidentlly mentions his mum being a hooker in an insult which shatters Tim's emotions.